NFL Approves Deal with BetMGM, FOXBet, PointsBet, & WynnBET

The National Football League (NFL) has approved four more sportsbook operators – BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and WynnBET – for the 2021 NFL season. The development announced Monday on the league website, came nearly four months after the NFL entered the US sports betting world with three sportsbook partners – FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars – simultaneously.

These agreements enable all four operators to acquire NFL in-game commercial units, besides other select league media inventory. Additionally, the four new partners can also license official data from the league’s official data provider, Genius Sports, said the news release.

NFL Now Has Seven Sportsbook Partners

After the NFL’s announcement Monday, BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and WynnBET join their more formidable counterparts FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars Entertainment, which were named the NFL’s first-ever U.S. sportsbook partners earlier this year.

On April 15, the NFL announced its first such sports betting deal – the tri-exclusive partnership – adding the three most prestigious names ahead of the launch of the 2021 NFL Season, now a few days away.

Regarding the addition of four new sportsbook partners, Nana-Yaw Asamoah, V.P. Business Development for the NFL, said the league is thrilled to announce the select group as approved sportsbook operators.

He said the group of operators will help the professional football league to engage fans in responsible and innovative ways this season in the light of the everchanging sports betting landscape.

Two Tiers of NFL Sports Betting Partners

Though NFL has added four more sportsbook partners, their designation will remain a level below the “tri-exclusive” partnership the league struck with FanDuel, DraftKings, and Caesars – the first two of which are the biggest operators in the U.S.

Unlike the tri-exclusive partners of the NFL, which are the official sports betting partners of the league, BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and WynnBET will just be approved operators of the league.

All the first three partners obtained similar benefits, in addition to the exclusive ability to use NFL marks across their sports betting category and activate around retail and mobile sports betting.

No sportsbooks outside these seven approved operators will have access to NFL media inventory, the release said.

Partnerships Further Solidify NFL’s Shift to Changing Realities

The announcement has further solidified the NFL’s transformation from an anti-gambling entity to one that has accepted changing realities since the annulment of PASPA in 2018. Now, millions of Americans will be able to bet on NFL games online.

However, the league reiterated its further expansions into the sports betting world will protect the integrity of the game and its fans.

By inking the deal, all the operators have agreed to follow the NFL’s core integrity policies and will collaborate on information sharing and supporting responsible gambling efforts.

Following the announcement, BetMGM’s CEO, Adam Greenblatt, said the company’s partnership is extremely exciting for its business. Additionally, Greenblatt indicated BetMGM will debut a new national ad campaign featuring Jamie Foxx, offering its players a wide variety of top-class experiences and more.

Last September, BetMGM announced the Academy and GRAMMY Award winner would star in its new ad campaign.